Fostering Multimodal Analyses of Video Games: Reflective Writing in the Middle School

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AbstractThis article explores the written reflections and multimodal analyses of 31 middle school students who engaged with video games as texts. For four consecutive days, students spent 30 minutes playing video games and then 30 minutes writing reflections on their experiences and perceptions, resulting in 124 total reflections. Students focused on how they interpreted multimodal symbols within video games to comprehend, learn, and make decisions during gameplay. Students’ analyses were informed by the Gamer Response and Decision (GRAD) Framework. Results demonstrate that students identified various ways that multimodal symbols, such as dynamic visuals, written language, oral language, and sounds, impacted their interpretations and decision making within the game. This study demonstrates how students can engage in valuable reflective writing and multimodal analysis activities using video games as texts, such as through exploring communicative modes in video games and reflecting on associated learning and decision‐making processes.